2019 Celebration Bowl

The 2019 Celebration Bowl was a college football bowl game played on December 21, 2019, with kickoff at 12:00 p.m. EST on ABC.[4] It was the 5th edition of the Celebration Bowl, and the only one of the 2019–20 bowl games to feature FCS teams.

2019 Celebration Bowl
5th Celebration Bowl
Alcorn State Braves North Carolina A&T Aggies
(9–3) (8–3)
SWAC MEAC
44 64
Head coach: 
Fred McNair		 Head coach: 
Sam Washington
1234 Total
Alcorn State 372113 44
North Carolina A&T 0242812 64
DateDecember 21, 2019
Season2019
StadiumMercedes-Benz Stadium
LocationAtlanta, Georgia
MVPKylil Carter (QB, NC A&T) & Jacob Roberts (LB, NC A&T)[1]
FavoriteNorth Carolina A&T by 3[2]
RefereeHubert Owens (Sun Belt)[3]
Attendance32,968
United States TV coverage
NetworkABC
AnnouncersMark Jones (play-by-play), Dusty Dvoracek and Jay Walker (analysts), Roddy Jones and Tiffany Greene (sidline)

Teams

For the second consecutive year, the bowl was played between the Alcorn State Braves and the North Carolina A&T Aggies.

Alcorn State
Main article: 2019 Alcorn State Braves football team

Alcorn State earned their berth in the Celebration Bowl via a win over the Southern Jaguars in the SWAC Championship Game on December 7.[5] The Braves entered the Celebration Bowl with a 9–3 overall record (6–1 in conference). This was their third appearance in the Celebration Bowl, having lost their prior two appearances (2015 and 2018); both losses were to North Carolina A&T.

North Carolina A&T
Main article: 2019 North Carolina A&T Aggies football team

North Carolina A&T, led by second-year head coach Sam Washington, clinched their spot in the Celebration bowl on November 23 with their win over North Carolina Central.[6] The Aggies entered the game with an overall 8–3 record (6–2 in conference). They finished runner-up in the MEAC behind Florida A&M, who were ineligible for postseason play due to NCAA sanctions.[7] This was the Aggies' fourth appearance in the Celebration Bowl, having won each of their previous three (2015, 2017, 2018).

Game summary
2019 Celebration Bowl
1 2 34Total
Alcorn State 3 7 211344
North Carolina A&T 0 24 281264

at Mercedes-Benz Stadium • Atlanta, Georgia

  • Date: Saturday, December 21, 2019
  • Game time: 12:00 p.m. EST
  • Game weather: n/a (retractable roof closed)
  • Game attendance: 32,968
  • Referee: Hubert Owens
  • TV announcers (ABC): Mark Jones (play-by-play), Dusty Dvoracek and Jay Walker (analysts), Roddy Jones and Tiffany Greene (sideline)
  • ESPN game summary
Game information
First Quarter
  • (3:17) ALCN – Corey McCullough 28 yard field goal (Drive: 10 plays, 23 yards, 3:48; Alcorn State 3–0)
Second Quarter
  • (13:03) NCAT – Kylil Carter 53 yard pass to Elijah Bell, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 3 plays, 65 yards, 1:06; North Carolina A&T 7–3)
  • (10:16) ALCN – Felix Harper 36 yard pass to Chris Blair, Corey McCullough kick (Drive: 6 plays, 74 yards, 2:47; Alcorn State 10–7)
  • (7:55) NCAT – Kylil Carter 59 yard pass to Zachary Leslie, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 5 plays, 70 yards, 2:21; North Carolina A&T 14–10)
  • (5:05) NCAT – Noel Ruiz 26 yard field goal (Drive: 3 plays, −4 yards, 2:03; North Carolina A&T 17–10)
  • (0:41) NCAT – Kylil Carter 4 yard pass to Korey Banks, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 8 plays, 64 yards, 2:54; North Carolina A&T 24–10)
Third Quarter
  • (14:47) NCAT – Jah-Maine Martin 75 yard rush, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 1 play, 75 yards, 0:13; North Carolina A&T 31–10)
  • (11:37) ALCN – Felix Harper 6 yard rush, Corey McCullough kick (Drive: 10 plays, 75 yards, 3:10; North Carolina A&T 31–17)
  • (10:06) NCAT – Kylil Carter 43 yard pass to Ron Hunt, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 4 plays, 75 yards, 1:31; North Carolina A&T 38–17)
  • (9:09) ALCN – De'Shawn Waller 23 yard rush, Corey McCullough kick (Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 0:57; North Carolina A&T 38–24)
  • (4:56) NCAT – Kylil Carter 20 yard pass to Elijah Bell, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 10 plays, 68 yards, 4:13; North Carolina A&T 45–24)
  • (3:49) ALCN – Felix Harper 35 yard pass to Raidarious Anderson, Corey McCullough kick (Drive: 3 plays, 75 yards, 1:07; North Carolina A&T 45–31)
  • (2:50) NCAT – Kylil Carter 73 yard pass to Korey Banks, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 2 plays, 67 yards, 0:59; North Carolina A&T 52–31)
Fourth Quarter
  • (13:14) ALCN – Felix Harper 13 yard pass to Nigel Wood, Corey McCullough kick (Drive: 1 play, 13 yards, 0:03; North Carolina A&T 52–38)
  • (7:00) NCAT – Noel Ruiz 38 yard field goal (Drive: 11 plays, 30 yards, 6:14; North Carolina A&T 55–38)
  • (4:36) ALCN – Felix Harper 1 yard rush, kick blocked (Drive: 9 plays, 75 yards, 2:24; North Carolina A&T 55–44)
  • (4:36) NCAT – Amir McNeill blocked PAT return for defensive 2-point conversion (North Carolina A&T 57–44)
  • (3:37) NCAT – Jah-Maine Martin 4 yard rush, Noel Ruiz kick (Drive: 2 plays, 59 yards, 0:59; North Carolina 64–44)

Statistics
StatisticsALCNNCAT
First downs2421
Plays–yards74–46064–574
Rushes–yards32–11934–210
Passing yards341364
Passing: Comp–Att–Int25–42–118–30–0
Time of possession29:3630:24
TeamCategoryPlayerStatistics
Alcorn StatePassingFelix Harper25/42, 341 yards, 3 TD, 1 INT
RushingDe'Shawn Waller13 carries, 59 yards, 1 TD
ReceivingChris Blair7 receptions, 150 yards, 1 TD
North Carolina A&TPassingKylil Carter18/30, 364 yards, 6 TD
RushingJah-Maine Martin16 carries, 110 yards, 2 TD
ReceivingKorey Banks6 receptions, 122 yards, 2 TD

References
  1. @AWainwrightTV (December 21, 2019). "Highlights:" (Tweet). Retrieved December 21, 2019 – via Twitter.
  2. "Alcorn State vs. North Carolina A&T - Game Summary - December 21, 2019 - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
  3. "2019–20 bowl officiating assignments". footballzebras.com. December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 20, 2019.
  4. "2019–20 College Football bowl schedule". The Tennessean. Retrieved June 7, 2019.
  5. "Alcorn State stops Southern 39–24, wins SWAC title". dailyjournal.net. AP. December 7, 2019. Retrieved December 7, 2019.
  6. "NCAT destroys NCCU, headed back to Celebration Bowl". HBCU Gameday. 23 November 2019. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
  7. "NCAA Hits FAMU Athletics With Penalties Over Ineligible Student Athletes". wfsu.org. May 22, 2019. Retrieved December 21, 2019.
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